Miracle on 49th Street [Paperback]

Mike Lupica (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 4, 2007 | Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

Josh Cameron is MVP of the championship Boston Celtics and a media darling with a spotless reputation. He has it all . . . including a daughter he never knew. When twelve-year-old Molly Parker arrives in his life, claiming to be his daughter, she catches him off guard. Molly says her mom, Jen, revealed his identity before losing her battle with cancer. Josh isn?t so sure about this girl?she must be trying to scam him for his money. Still, there?s something about Molly that reminds him so much of Jen. But as Molly gets to know the real Josh, the one the camera never sees, she starts to understand why her mother never wanted her to know her dad. Josh has room in his heart for only two things: basketball and himself. Does Molly really want this man for a father? Together, these two strangers learn that sometimes, for things to end up the way you want them to, you have to fire up a prayer at the buzzer and hope it goes in.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-9–Molly Parker, 12, lives in Boston with her recently deceased mother's best friend and family. She is on a mission to meet the Celtics' star player, Josh Cameron, to tell him that she is his daughter. With the help of her friend Sam, she sneaks into the athlete's car so that they will have the opportunity to talk. Self-centered Josh is skeptical of her claim, yet spends time with her. However, his sinister agent, Bobby, worries that knowledge of Molly's existence will destroy his client's clean-cut image, and he tells her to get lost. She almost despairs of ever convincing Josh of their relationship before she moves to California with her new family. But after finding an encouraging note her mother had left, she travels to New York, where Josh has a game, and the two reconcile at the Rockefeller Center skating rink. Lupica creates intriguing, complex characters in Molly, Sam, and Josh, and he paces his story well, with enough twists and cliff-hangers to keep the pages turning. Molly's relationships with others in Josh's life, such as a teammate and his housekeeper, contrast nicely with her up-and-down relationship with her father. In spite of a few implausible events, some sentimentality, and a bit of predictability, this is an entertaining work. The strong female character and the basketball tie-in will expand its appeal.–Jeffrey A. French, Willoughby-Eastlake Public Library, Willowick, OH
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

When 12-year-old Molly Parker returns to America from England following her mother's death from cancer, she harbors a secret: her father is the star point guard of the Boston Celtics, Josh Cameron. Molly confronts Josh, who reacts with ambivalence to the sudden news that he is a father, but as their relationship grows, he seems to want to make Molly part of his life. Still, he also seems worried about his good-guy, bachelor image. Adding further pressure to the situation are his warmhearted housekeeper and greedy, image-conscious agent. Despite a sentimental ending, Lupica delivers a winning novel, creating a realistic character in Molly by authentically capturing both her fragility and pluck. Young readers will also enjoy the look inside Josh's pampered sports-superstar world. Ostensibly sports fiction, this could attract a wide range of readers. Todd Morning
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Puffin (October 4, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0142409421
• ISBN-13: 978-0142409428
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #143,921 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #38 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Sports & Activities > Sports > Basketball
  • #48 in Books > Children's Books > Sports & Games > Sports > Basketball
  • #55 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Children's Books > Sports & Activities > Sports > Baseball

More About the Author

Mike Lupica is one of the most prominent sports writers in America. His longevity at the top of his field is based on his experience and insider's knowledge, coupled with a provocative presentation that takes an uncompromising look at the tumultuous world of professional sports. Today he is a syndicated columnist for the New York Daily News, which includes his popular "Shooting from the Lip" column, which appears every Sunday. He began his newspaper career covering the New York Knicks for the New York Post at age 23. He became the youngest columnist ever at a New York paper with the New York Daily News, which he joined in 1977. For more than 30 years, Lupica has added magazines, novels, sports biographies, other non-fiction books on sports, as well as television to his professional resume. For the past fifteen years, he has been a TV anchor for ESPN's The Sports Reporters. He also hosted his own program, The Mike Lupica Show on ESPN2. In 1987, Lupica launched "The Sporting Life" column in Esquire magazine. He has published articles in other magazines, including Sport, World Tennis, Tennis, Golf Digest, Playboy, Sports Illustrated, ESPN: The Magazine, Men's Journal and Parade. He has received numerous honors, including the 2003 Jim Murray Award from the National Football Foundation. Mike Lupica co-wrote autobiographies with Reggie Jackson and Bill Parcells, collaborated with noted author and screenwriter, William Goldman on Wait Till Next Year, and wrote The Summer of '98, Mad as Hell: How Sports Got Away from the Fans and How We Get It Back and Shooting From the Lip, a collection of columns. In addition, he has written a number of novels, including Dead Air, Extra Credits, Limited Partner, Jump, Full Court Press, Red Zone, Too Far and national bestsellers Wild Pitch and Bump and Run. Dead Air was nominated for the Edgar Allen Poe Award for Best First Mystery and became a CBS television move, "Money, Power, Murder" to which Lupica contributed the teleplay. Over the years he has been a regular on the CBS Morning News, Good Morning America and The MacNeil-Lehrer Newshour. On the radio, he has made frequent appearances on Imus in the Morning since the early 1980s. His previous young adult novels, Travel Team, Heat, Miracle on 49th Street, and the summer hit for 2007, Summer Ball, have shot up the New York Times bestseller list. Lupica is also what he describes as a "serial Little League coach," a youth basketball coach, and a soccer coach for his four children, three sons and a daughter. He and his family live in Connecticut.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A marvelous Mike Lupica classic!, November 16, 2006

By 

Nicholas A. Ziinojr (ridge, new york United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Miracle on 49th Street (Hardcover)

"Miracle on 49th Street" is another literary triumph for Mike Lupica.This is a sweet,gentle story done to perfection.Molly Parker sets out to find her long estranged father,NBA/Boston Celtics star



Josh Cameron,after her mother dies.When she turns up and confronts at a team event,Josh at first refuses to believe that she's his daughter.But Molly perseveres,and what
follows is a sweet,funny,and touching story of two similar people getting to know each other.The best thing about the book is how skillfully Lupica
develops the growing relationship between father and daughter.He writes
beautifully,and once again shows himself to be a master of character
development.His people are real,flesh and blood,three dimensional human
beings who instantly grab the reader and hold interest in the story from start to finish.Molly and Josh really are father and daughter.They are THAT much alike-smart,strong,no-nonsense,yet also sweet and loving under
that tough exterior.It's wonderful to watch each discover that the other is not what they seem to be at first.Sam and Mattie are every inch their equals,hoots to boot,and they almost steal the book.Forget the age range
for this lovely story-it's for EVERYONE!Enjoy!

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Better then Heat, October 28, 2006

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Miracle on 49th Street (Hardcover)

I loved this book! I have read Heat (also by Mike Lupica) and thought this was worlds better. I was in tears at many parts of the book, and I really loved Molly. I really liked how Josh Cameron was written, so that the reader always saw Josh the same way Molly does (except for 1 part) I think this is a definite Newberry contender!

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE PERFECT GIFT, December 11, 2006

By 

Michael Galardi - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Miracle on 49th Street (Hardcover)

I AM THE FATHER OF 2 BOYS AND BOUGHT THIS BOOK FOR MY 11 AND 14 YEAR OLD..I READ IT FIRST AND COULD NOT PUT IT DOWN..THE STORY PULLS YOU IN AND IS HEARTWARMING..THE CHARACTERS, AS WITH ALL OF LUPICA'S BOOKS, ARE DRAWN FROM REAL LIFE AND ARE FLESHED OUT..THERE IS NO GENDER OR AGE THAT WILL ENJOY THIS BOOK MORE..IT IS A LOVELY READ WITH SOME FAST PACED SPORTS SCENES..LUPICA HAS FILLED THE YOUNG ADULT SPORTS' BOOK VOID LIKE SANTA'S SLEIGH ON CHRISTMAS EVE..DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND BUY ONE OR 20 AND GIVE THEM AS GIFTS TO YOUR KIDS' TEACHERS AND FRIENDS...IT IS A SURE-FIRE WINNER!